Lightning flared on the horizon, revealing a skinny boy perched on a jagged boulder. His bare torso lay riddled with scars and whip marks, each one a silent testament to past torment. Though he shivered violently in the deluge, he remained motionless. Chains bound his ankles, and a deadly ring of spikes encircled the boulder beneath him—there was no escape.
It's cold.
The thought hammered in his mind, echoing with raw desperation.
So cold… Someone get me out of here!
Yet he did nothing but clasp his arms around his chest. His fingers, stiff as icicles, offered no warmth. Not even the surge of adrenaline could force him to move; the rain only added to his misery, every droplet driving needles of ice into his skin.
His blurry vision swayed under the relentless downpour. Defeated, he leaned back, indifferent to the razor-sharp edges of the rock slicing into his fresh wounds. Each sting brought a strange sense of relief, pulling him from the numbness threatening to swallow him whole.
What's the point?
A ragged sigh forced its way past his swollen throat.
Every time I bend my head, I end up here again.
His breath hitched as droplets slipped down his throat, triggering a fit of coughing. He slammed a fist against his chest, fighting to breathe, then slumped again in exhaustion. With trembling limbs, he pressed an arm over his eyes.
Am I not a person? Am I some different breed? Aren't I human too?
His body quaked, and frustration boiled over. He yanked his arm away from his face, glaring at the sky with clenched teeth. The chains around his ankles rattled like mocking laughter, echoing through the storm.
"Bastards!" he roared, voice cracking with fury. "When I find you…I'll do far worse!"
The metal bit into his already bleeding ankles, but he didn't notice—his entire focus was swallowed by rage.
Then he felt it: a presence. Slowly, he twisted around to see a snake slithering up the boulder, tongue flicking menacingly. His stomach twisted, heart pounding as he tried and failed to scoot backward.
"Go away!" he shouted, all anger dissolving into stark terror. "GO!"
The snake advanced, unblinking. When it lunged, he jerked his head aside, narrowly dodging the strike. Instinct took over—his bony hands locked around its neck.
"S-stop moving!" he cried, voice thin with panic. The snake writhed in his grasp, hissing louder as it coiled. Its scales were cold and slick beneath his palms; no matter how hard he squeezed, it seemed impossible to choke off its life.
Why me?
He glanced around for anything that could serve as a weapon, but came up empty. Desperation sparked within him. He lifted the snake, trying to smash it onto the boulder, but its weight dragged him down. Rain pelted his face, blinding him.
His mind went blank.
"AH!"
With nothing left, he shifted his grip and sank his teeth into the snake's neck. Hot, bitter fluid gushed onto his face, and the creature jerked violently. He bit down harder, feeling its flesh tear beneath his jaw. Then the snake stiffened, its body going limp. The boy exhaled raggedly, throwing the carcass off the rock.
I did it! I saved myself. No one came, but I'm still here.
A strange sensation blossomed in his chest—something like triumph. He looked up at the steel-gray sky, rain washing the blood and bits of flesh from his mouth. Cautiously, a small smile tugged at his cracked lips.
He closed his eyes and let the rain trickle over his tongue, tasting survival.
I belong to no one. I am my own. I am free.